competitions,books and seminars

I have not sat down for a second in about a week. I love reading my friends blogs and when they don't update it often I get upset. So, here is the family update.

Madi is flying high this week, because her school went to a cheerleading competition this past weekend. She was signed up to do a solo. As luck would have it, she was first to take the mat of the entire days competition. She was awesome! I was very proud of her. At the end of the day, she was awarded first place for her performance. Her school came in first place in their division and the parents and cheerleaders cheered so much that we were given the award of most spirited. Pretty awesome. That was not the end though. They awarded girls an award based on spirit, performance and academics the "All American Cheerleader Award" and when they called her name I was over joyed. What a sweet end of a great competition!

Jessica is doing great. This week is exam week and she gets to catch up on her sleep. She gets up every day at 430am and usually is studying until after midnight. When we arrived home from the competition Saturday we had a full house. The picture below is what we call "the Saturday night sista's". These are the group of girls that stay at our house every weekend to go to church with us.ok no picture right now due to camera left a work for team member to use.

Olivia is going great. She is helping with Toby and Bear. Bear is my parents dog that we get plenty of visitation rights to due to retired parents

that travel a lot

Wil is doing great. Nothing major happened to him this week. He had Nikki over to play this weekend.

I wanted to update everyone on two of my new year resolutions. I was joining a moms church group and wanted to read 12 books. Well, we are reading this great book from one of the Proverbs31 speakers. I wanted to go to Barnes and Nobles to see if they had it. I asked if they had any books from Melanie Chitwood. The lady said yes we do. We carry the book "What a husband needs from his wife physically". As she looked up from the computer I began to laugh. I think there is more to the title. She did not look amused. I think she thinks I am reading some freaky book and what I need to do for my husband. I proceeded to tell her the rest of the title and she was not interested. Just in case you were wondering the entire title is "what a husband needs from his wife physically, spiritually and emotionally". As luck would have it the book was out of stock so I ordered it. Sorry Greg will just have to wait to see what the books says I should do to him physically.

I am really excited about the adventure I am going on this week. Art and Raquel(CFA team member) are off to Atlanta for some intense, serious training with some big wigs at corporate. I had a marvelous plan that I should accompany them. Here is how the conversation went. Art I think I need to go to Atlanta too. You really should not travel with Raquel alone, that does not look good. She may feel uncomfortable. I should go too and stay in my jammies all day while you two are in serious, intense classes and read the book that the seminar in modeled after. After you two are in sensory overload each night-I could help you process your information and help put your plans into action. Are you following me people--me all by my self for hours in a hotel room, reading, with no husband, no children, no workers, no customers and no no no one but me!. Sweet idea right? Who was I kidding-what boss would OK that idea? So after I stated by case-I waited for the laughter to ensue..."Sounds great, I think that is the best idea you have had. We can put a game plan into action right there on the spot and be able to hit the ground running when we return home." What, are you serious. I have been quite giddy this week about my trip. Until today. We interrupt this happy vacation plan for a wonderful boss plan."Hey what time will your plane land in the morning" he says. I say that I should be at the hotel about 10am. He says"Great the seminar starts at 10am" I think you will love it". Ok now I am starting to picture what I will look like shimming myself into a seminar that I am not invited to. Picture this with me if you will. I will not get home tonight until 10pm-remember it is Tuesday again-After I pack, make sure everyone is taken care of for the rest of the week, get in bed, wake up at 430am with Jessica, get ready, drive to the airport, lug my luggage, check in-did I mention I am flying stand by-wait to see if I get to board the 7am flight-thanks Tam and Greg, arrive in Atlanta at 830am, ride the marta-train- to station-pray for me all alone in the big city like Mary Tyler Moore (didnt want to tell my parents I was doing this-sorry mom and dad), call for the driver, arrive at the hotel, it maybe raining there by the way-can you imagine humitity in very curly hair of mine, and saunter myself at 10am into a room full of professional dressed, well rested, showered, full belly from sweet buffet breakfast people just in time for the serious, intense seminar to start. Now back to conversation with Art-"Oh, I had a jammie day planned" Funny look from boss-"but intense, serious, all day seminar sounds great to me. See you there". OK now I am thinking what I have gotten myself into. I am sure that I will update you later on my adventure alone in the big city. By the way it is not looking so good for the flight back. It looks full and I may not be able to get on the flight. If I cant I have to stay another night in Atlanta-Hey I just might get my jammie day after all. Please pray for me over the next few days if you think of it.

Well I hope that each of you are doing well and you are still working on your new years goals.

Insert shout out to Gail-friend from Wil

Have a great week!

Paige

What gets you through a yucky day?

Today was a yucky, gloomy, grey and a kind of overcast day. The kind of day that I wanted to stay in bed for. But that rarely happens on a Tuesday. That typically is McKinney family crazy day. My day started last night when I climbed into bed at 1am. I had just returned home from a moms group. I had a great time meeting other women from church. By the time I got home and piddled around the house it was 1am. I knew waking up this morning was going to be hard. Madi had cheerleading practice at school at 715am. I woke up at 430am to wake Jessica up and then dosed back for awhile. I was having a hard time thinking of getting out of bed. I had to pray myself out of that bed. I prayed I would have enough strength to make it all day. I prayed and prayed and prayed. Then I got up and could not believe my energy. I did a load of laundry, ironed Wils school clothes, made a meatloaf for dinner and put it in the fridge. I took the kids to school, went to park for a walk, returned countless CFA(Chick-fil-A)phone calls, showered and was ready for my day at 930am. How did all that get done. I don't know if God was pushing me or if he just gave me energy to get it all done. I went to work and got so much done. I had lunch with Matthew, Marybeth and sweet Annaweezie. That is Marybeth's youngest sweetie! We could have talked for hours, as if we had not talked last night. I worked until 6pm and then went to Jessica's basketball game she was cheering at. Mom and Dad picked up Madi from her practice and we were all home at 730pm. Olivia had put my meatloaf in the oven and I warmed corn from the farm. YUM! Threw some frozen broccoli in the microwave and we had ten minutes to eat before we got into the car again. Did I say Tuesdays were my crazy night? I then took Jessica and Madi to gymnastics practice and got home at 10pm. I could have went to bed but I had taped CSI. I could have went to bed at 11pm but decided to check in on some of my friends blogs. So now I am ending this very long day and getting ready to head to my nice comfy bed. This image above gets me through a lot of days. Eager for summer, and days on the beach with the children and parents. I sat on the beach this summer and thought "It don't get any better than this". I knew on grey, yucky days my mind would go back to the beach. But if my memory could not bring back the image, I would darn sure make certain that I could see it. Doesn't the beach look wonderful. This is what got me through today. Oceans and lots of prayers.

Random pics of the fam

My favorite summer photo of Wil


This is Madi's favorite picture of her and her dad.


I need the keys to the car, please Dad.

Olivia loves Chinese night at the house



Our newest member-Toby

2008 resolutions=pays and owes

I decided that I would write down some New Year's resolutions for this year. I came across this picture of Lindsay and myself. This is my sister-in-law. I always wanted a sister growing up. God has blessed me with 3. I like looking at this photo because it was a day that I zipped up that dress and felt good. My hair looked good and my make-up went on good too. I looked at this picture this morning and wondered why I don't feel that kind of "good" anymore. So, that what started my pays and owes list.

1. I will exercise 3 times per week. I owe it to myself and it pays great benefits (picture is example)

2. I will read 12 books this year. I owe it to my brain and it helps develop myself personally and professionally.

3. I will join momtourage. I owe it to myself to have some time away from the children and It pays to get to know others from my church. Elevation baby-most rocking church around.( This ones for you Marybeth-thanks for the invite)

4.I will be more planful of my dinners. I owe it to children to be a better cook and it pays to not eat out. Feeding 6 of us is insane at a restaurant.

5.Scrapbook more-I would like to dedicate 2 weekends this year to catching up on my scrapbooks. I owe it to the children to preserve their heritage and It pays to see it done.

6.Mostly importantly--I will have a more intentional quiet time each day with God. I owe everything to God and it pays everything in my life to have one.

These are a few a my personal resolutions. I have a work list too. I may post it one day. I have to share it with my team and Art next week.

Today I am baking coffee bread for the kids breakfast tomorrow. We always have a great group of kids spending the night with us to go to church. I get so excited when they are here. They are full of laughter and fun. You never know what they are going to get into. Literally. One night I heard screams coming from Jessica's room. I rushed in and it looked like an episode of ER. There was needles, peroxide, apples, knifes, cotton balls and lighters. They were having a good ole time piercing each others ears. I am sorry to all the mothers that were represented in that room. My child was the worse. I have never heard the likes of someone screaming before. But all was well because for each scream an outburst of laughter would erupt.

My dad came in this morning with lots of loaf pans. Guess mom was cleaning and thought they would be used here. They were right, I am going to use them to bake the coffee cakes in today.

While they are baking I am going on a walk in hopes

to fit back into that dress. Here is another picture of

me in the dress. Art and Lysa sent Greg and I on a

cruise last year after I met some of my goals at work.

We had a great time.

Being an adult

Today was a real day. Have you ever had one of those days when you realize that you were an adult? Today was one of those for me. I really like being liked, playing it safe and making everyone feel good. So when one of those days come up in my personal or professional life that I have to "man up" it is hard. Today was a man up day for me. I dont really know how I did, but at the end of the day, I feel good. God is good! He let me get through this entire day and be able to say that it is ok. Tomorrow will come and we will start all over, fresh and new. Thank you, Jesus for fresh starts and new days.

Today I also visited my dearest friend Tamera. If you know anything about Chick-fil-A at the Arboretum, then you know Tamera. She is the best dining room hostess ever. She is such a servant and loves people. Tamera has taught me many things over the past few years. Most of all to laugh, love chocolate and how to love the Lord and be his servant. Tamera fell at home yesterday and got pretty banged up. She is so dedicated to her job that she actually wanted to come in to work. You can't keep her down. Gail-friend and I went to visit her and cheer her up and we left there with a box of See's candy and pains in our stomach from laughing so much with her and her wonderful raymond husband "Gregg". Watch out for her crutches Gregg!!!haha.

I had to leave just now for a few minutes. My sweet father just called to check on me. You see he knows my path home. He called to see if I made it home safely because there was a 10 car wreck that just occurred on the highway I take home. I love my fathers. My heavenly father protected me from being in this wreck and my earthly father worried for my protection as well. Like I said, God is good.

This picture is of one of the most exciting days in my professional career. Art-wonderful boss took Tamera, Liz and myself to corporate and we had the pleasure to visit with Truett Cathey for awhile. He is the founder of Chick-fil-A. It is a honor to work for such as man as he is.



Tomorrow is Friday and I will be mucho busy. Madi has cheerleading practice at 715am. Then off to Marybeth's house for some hot chocolate, breakfast, talking and lots of laughter. At 130pm I am volunteering at the kids school. I am going to a physical therapist(neck aches) so that she can work on my neck at 200pm. I am walking at the park with my mom and dad at 330pm and then to watch Madi cheer and 430pm. I will be home by 730pm to begin my weekend!!!!YES!!!






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Hi Ho Hi Ho Its Off To Work I Go

Did I say that I love my job..I do. I have been at it for four and a half years. Almost six months after the long process of adopting Olivia, I needed a break. Everyone needed a break from me. Shortly after the adoption, I was standing in my room and Greg was looking for something in the closet. He asked if I was ever going to do anything with all the pictures that had accumulated in boxes. That was a hint from him to clean up. So, I head to my friend Wanda's house, who is the creative memories guru and began my love of scrapbooking. I found that I really loved to scrapbook. The family loved seeing the end product and they missed me while I was away. I loved being with other women and we all shared stories of our children. The best part is your children can not talk back in pictures and your family looks normal and perfect for a short period of time. Anywho..I really liked scrapbooking and I went to my friend Wanda's alot and to the local scrapbook store. One day while looking around the store, the manager asked me if I was looking for a job. I said that might be fun and we scheduled a time for me to come back for and interview. When I was on my way to the interview, "my good friend Marybeth" called. I told her about the interview and she thought I was "nuts". "Why would you want to work nights and weekends", she asked. I didn't. I just knew for some reason I was going. Marybeth hung up and called "my good friend Lysa". While they were talking, Lysa asked how I was. "A JOB INTERVIEW!!!! What in the world is she going on a job interview for".You see up to this point I was a stay at home mom..Loved it. Wouldn't have anything to do with going back to work. So the shock of me at an interview was just that. Art-wonderful boss-heard Lysa yell out job interview and asked who was wanting a job. "Send her in to talk to me". This all took place while I was in my "not really what I wanted at all" job interview at the scrapbook store. When I got out and back in my car, Marybeth called and soon began my love for Chick-fil-A and the TerKeurst family...thanks to good friends--
So, now it is 930am and I must hurry-I love my job, but want to keep it. So, I am off to have fun...loving on people, having people loving me back and making a difference...Was this what I looking for all the while I was at home for all those years... Maybe so, but my children probably wont say those words of "Thanks Mom" for a few more years...
Please keep my parents in your prayers today. They are traveling to Greenville to a birthday party for my great aunt. Happy Birthday, Gloria and We all hope you feel better soon. We love you!!!
Have a great day everyone

So much for my traditional New Year's dinner

I had this grandios idea that I would have a traditional New Years day enjoyable, sit down dinner with my entire family. I will set the day for you. Husband is at home, laid back in the recliner watching all the bowl games. I worked most of the day creating this bleeping blog so that I could share it with everyone in my life, so the grocery trip did not happen until 4:30pm. I rushed there, went inside and tossed everything looking tradional as I could remember from my childhood New Years day dinners into the buggy(remember I did already put a disclaimer in previous blog that I am the queen of run on sentences) and scurried home to cook. After a good laugh with one of the grandmothers to this blog(good friend, Lysa) I began my lovely, dreamy Norman Rockwell scene dinner...Ready.... here is where Norman meets Paige....What's this crap?...I don't know but it looks like grass clippings to me....What's the other mess?..Hominy, honey you will like it, I used to eat it when I was a child...response...You should have kept it back when you were a child...I'm not eating this stuff..can I have cereal?....When is the pork roast ready?....I should have started earlier cause the roast is still pink in the middle..Oh my gosh mom....we don't have any roast...are you kidding me?...What can I put on these grass clippings to make them taste better?...Vinegar???What white vinegar that stuff tastes terrible...I'll try if it will make this taste any better...Look at my plate mom, I am the good child I am trying everything you cooked...I am even trying the hominy..One hominy does not make enough for trying...that's like homin-i-if there is such a word..Mom I ate alot-I even had two pieces of cornbread.. .....This is a look at my family and the dinner table conversations. Did I say dinner table?They did not even make it to the table, they ate standing in the kitchen ridiculing my meal. But all was not lost for my children loooovvveeedd the yummo dinner at the end...dessert. Marybeth's recipe of course.Check out Jessica's plate-she did not want to hurt my feelings so she tried everything--just not alot of everything.....

OK, here goes..This blog is dedicated to "my good friends, Marybeth and Lysa". These two wonderful friends of mine have tried to encourage me to start a blog. First of all, I am not a writer like they are. Second, I am the Queen of run on sentences and usually do not use spell check. Sorry in advance to all you perfect people. Third-usually my stories are only funny to my mom (side note..she only thinks that they are funny because she finally gets to says all those grandmotherly things like--I told you so, You wanted all these children..and Payback is heck isnt it) and my friends MaryBeth and Lysa, who laugh hysterically at my stories because they are living my same insane life with all their children too. And finally, I did not want to start a blog because I was scared one day that these words may be used against me in a court of law. You know what I mean if you are a mother. For real, sometimes things just come out my mouth, but that does not mean that I want a prosecutor to re-read and re-live them for all to judge me. So thats it, If you want to read about me and mine-enjoy but please don't judge...Like momma says payback is heck...
I have four children as you can see pictured right. Jessica is 16..just 16 I might add. She turned 16 on Christmas day. She has her learners permit and I do not like driving with her. Now, I understand why my dad turned me over to Smokey when I was 16. My parents wanted to live another day..Jessica is a sophomore at Butler High school. She is captain of the JV cheerleaders there..We are on a quest to get her accepted to UNC-Chapel Hill and on their cheerleading squad in three years. I am sure I will tell you more about her later. Madison is 13 going on 24. In her mind she has graduated high school, went to college four years at UNC-Wilmington and has a job as an ultrasound tech. She lives with her ultra rich husband on Lake Norman. And you can see her most weekends on her boat probably skiing. But for now she is an eighth grader at Queens Grant (captain of the JV cheerleaders and VP of the student body-she wanted me to add) Olivia -now is changing on us daily. For those you that don't remember, we adopted her almost five years ago from Mogilev, Belarus. She loves animals.....loves animals..She will probably be a vet, or nurse, or own a dog kennel like her Uncle Bob and Aunt Jan..I am sure I will write more about "the farm" later. I secretly hope Olivia becomes a massage therapist so that I can benefit..She loves to play soccer too. She has try-outs for her school team in the spring. And then I have my little Wilson-he is all of our favorite here at the Casa McKinney..He is 8 and plays soccer..He finally received an XBOX360 from santa (what were you thinking Santa-I mean for real)and all is well with the world. His best friend is Nicki and they play together all the time. We are glad he has a best friend, since our house in a swinging door to girls at all times of the day, week and night. There is always someone here and Greg and I love it...most of the time..except when my head is spinning around, I grow four heads and ugly things come screaming out of my mouth...I have the most wonderful parents and will probably blog about them because my children and I invade their house at Carolina Beach a lot each summer. They would love to sell it and I think they will one day but for now me and mine secretly hope it does not sell for a few more sun-filled summers. My days are filled with everyone you have already read about and more. I love, love, love my job. I am the marketing director at Chick-fil-A at the Arboretum. I am sure as days follows you will read about my wonderful boss and boss lady(my good friend, Lysa and thanks to my good friend MaryBeth for telling me about this wonderful job), my most perfect assistant LIZ-in-which I could not survive without, my Gail-friend-every girl needs one and the crew...We have also fell in love with our new cocker spaniel Toby-yes Toby Keith. The kids and I named him that in hopes that Greg would love him too. No such luck. Greg hates any dog that is not his, is not a German Shepard and he did not pick out. Sorry Toby.
By the way -we are having twins...Don't I look good? Just kidding, my brother and his wife are having twins this spring and we are soooo excited about it. Get ready to hear lots of good stories on Parker and Whit..
So I think that this is enough for my first blog and first day..I am now off to the store for dinner. A traditional New Years Day dinner. Pork roast, black-eyed peas, greens and asparagus for the children and corn bread.Yummo!!
May each of you have a great year and enjoy my crazy life with me......